Hallway Tag
by DesertRose4
Summary: What happens when Captain Cragen decides to spice up the office?


DISCLAIMER: *sigh* I still don't own Law and Order or SVU or anything. I own my books. All well, one can wish.... Note/ summery: Just a short little piece influenced by real life, vignette, J/F slash HALLWAY TAG  
Captain Don Cragen of the Special Victims Unit looked around the squad room at his detectives. Elliot Stabler and Olivia Bensen were bent over their desks, typing up seemingly endless piles of paperwork. John Munch read the daily paper, and Odafin Tutuola got up to go to the bathroom.  
It was another bleak New York winter day, a day that made you despair of ever seeing spring again. Everyone was quiet and subdued, each mulling in their own thoughts. This will never do, thought Cragen to himself. He checked his watch, and saw that there was only and hour and a half before the end of the shift. And that paperwork can wait. We all need some fun.  
He smiled as he stepped into the squad room and boomed out, "I want everyone who works here in the big conference room in less than five minutes- this is going to take a while, so don't bring anything." Don turned and left them in a stunned silence.  
"Well, we'd better do as he says," muttered Munch, and rose out of his chair. Fin glanced at Munch with a secret smile, but worry in his eyes- winter was always hard on his partner. Everybody else followed glumly, worried and speculating about what could move their Captain to call them all together so abruptly.  
Five minutes later, everybody was in the large conference room, per Don's instructions. "All right everybody. All here? Good. Now, I know that we are all a little down and grey, but what we are going to do for the next hour and a half is play hallway tag. Hopefully that will help the mood in this place a little. Now, rules: I will say who is it- men or women, and it might change. Rule two: If tagged, come back here and sing praises to each other until someone of your own sex tags you. I will also play, and I will decide when to change who is It. No hiding in the bathrooms. Do not break anything, and do not leave the building. Any questions? No? All right, girls, you have 15 second to run- GO!"  
Without a moment's hesitation, the women scattered to the four corners of the building. On the count of 15, the men fled after them, already acting like little kids. *FIN'S POV*  
After the captains little announcement, he started to count as the women fled. I saw Olivia flee with some of the other women towards the north side of the building, and then John leaned against me. As always, the touch of his skin on mine lit me on fire- as he well knew. "Are we going to give chase or go hide somewhere?" His voice, so suggestive, sent a sensual shiver up my spine. "Chase." I answered finally. "When else are we going to have a chance to hunt Olivia down?" He laughed, and we set off to find her.  
  
*OLIVIA'S POV* As soon as Don started to count, me and Alex took off with a clear destination in mind; the interrogation rooms. Twenty seconds later found us huddled together under a table, giggling quietly like the little girls we used to be in days long gone. A few moments later, the door opened and we hushed, trying to see and not be seen. It was Fin and John, together- holding hands as they looked for us. This was too much- both of us were fine with them together, but... Fin and John? How did that work? Giggles overcame us, and Fin charged when he heard us. We shrieked and fled, but John caught us at the door, swinging Alex around in his arms and planting a kiss on her forehead. She shouted something at me as I slipped past, Fin hot on my heels. *ELLIOT'S POV*  
My head whipped around to follow my daughter as she fled out the door. She'd better stay in the building- but I didn't have time to finish that thought, because Cragen was done counting, and all the men were flowing out of the room after the women. I went to find Maureen, thinking of all the places she could hide. Under my desk maybe? I headed toward my desk to start my search. *JOHN'S POV*  
I leaned in close to Fin and made my offer, but he declined, and he was right. So, with a sigh for a missed opportunity, I followed my younger partner in search of Olivia. We found her hiding under a table in an interrogation room with Alex Cabot- and as Alex tried to run past me, I grabbed her and kissed her on the forehead- I'd always felt grandfatherly for her despite lack of children. She shrieked as Olivia sneaked by, with Oda right behind her. "Don't let her get into the locker room!" I shouted after him, setting a laughing Alex on her feet. "Go sing praises to the wonderful person that is Don Cragen, Alex, there's a good slow ADA." She punched me, hard, before stalking off, but she turned back halfway down the hall and asked, "How do you know I wasn't slow on purpose, Munch?" she taunted, before slipping into the conference room. I grinned, feeling lighthearted as I had not since Christmas, and I turned to follow Oda on his quest to tag Olivia. *DON'S POV*  
An hour and a half later, even the fittest of the cops who worked here were breathless and tired- but happy, and still full of laughter. The mood in the building had taken a drastic turn around- from bleak to merry and giddy within two hours. So I was proud of myself- after all, I had a right to be. I gathered them all up again, and sent them home to be replaced by the nightshift, with a smile still lighting my face. Maybe we can play hallway tag again sometime, I thought as I drove home. The end. Please tell me what you think of it! 


End file.
